NZ red meat sector hits out at US tariff hike
New Zealand's red meat sector says the United States' decision to increase tariffs on New Zealand exports is disappointing.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has welcomed new funding of $895,000 for the Flaxbourne Community Irrigation Scheme in Marlborough.
The funding comes from the Ministry for Primary Industries' Irrigation Acceleration Fund (IAF) and will help the Marlborough District Council complete concept designs, finalise funding arrangements, and begin the detailed design phase for the storage dam.
"Water from this project will most likely be used for wine grapes and arable crops, showing again that irrigation is about much more than just dairy," says Guy.
"Providing a reliable water supply for growers has major potential to boost growth, creating jobs and exports. This is especially important in Marlborough given the serious drought the region has suffered over the last 18 months."
The Flaxbourne Community Irrigation Scheme proposes to source water from the Awatere River at peak times for storage and distribution that will irrigate 2200ha.
"We know that viticulture involves significant employment and investment of around $40,000 per hectare, and once established has significantly higher annual turnover than the current dryland pasture uses.
"This funding is another positive step forward for this scheme which has strong community support. The project has the potential to boost Marlborough's economy by $15 million per year."
A full economic assessment is part of the IAF work programme that will be delivered by end of July 2016.
The proposal has been previously investigated in different forms since 2008, and most recently in late 2014 received IAF funding of $50,000.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
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